past

A look at Windows Phone's 'smart links'

LAS VEGAS--When it comes to copy and paste, Microsoft argues that there's a better way of doing things on the phone.

Rather than include the feature in Windows Phone 7 Series devices (something many users say they want), Microsoft argues that a better approach is simply to offer so-called smart links--which recognize a block of text, such as a hyperlink, phone number, or address, and allow a specific action to be taken. For a phone number, such "smart links" would allow the number to be dialed. An address might get pulled up in the mapping program, while … Read more

Windows Phone forgets how to copy and paste

LAS VEGAS--The new Windows Phones have a lot of things that prior versions of Windows Mobile haven't had, most notably a cool factor.

But one thing that the 7 Series devices won't have--at least not this year's crop--is the ability to broadly copy and paste items. As earlier noted by Engadget, Microsoft confirmed on Tuesday that developers shouldn't expect to have access to a clipboard to allow users to copy and paste. Nor will Microsoft's own Office applications have copy and paste. That's despite the fact that it has been a staple of past … Read more

A clipboard manager and 2D fighting at its best: iPhone apps of the week

Before we get to this week's apps, a news item over at AppleInsider indicates we may be getting a change to the iPhone operating system that many have been talking about. According to one AppleInsider's more reliable sources, the iPhone OS 4.0 could add multitasking support in the next OS update. This means you'll be able to run apps simultaneously making it possible to switch between apps without closing them.

A lot of smartphones already have multitasking support, so it's been one of the bigger complaints for detractors of the iPhone. Frankly, I think it'… Read more

Change Word 2007's default paste-formatting option

I spent several hours last week cleaning up the errant formatting in a complicated, 30-page Word document that was loaded with custom styles. It seems the author pasted material into the file from several different applications. Unfortunately, the formatting of the source documents made the trip as well. The resulting file was a formatting disaster that bore little resemblance to the template the document was allegedly based on.

One of the best features Microsoft added to Word 2007 is the ability to change the program's default paste setting so added material adopts the formatting of the destination document. To … Read more

Copy and paste more

A Windows clipboard manager that relies on the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0., PasteCopy.NET saves dozens of text entries and images. PasteCopy.NET does offer some features not available in the competing M8 Free Clipboard, including the capability to convert RTF files to text and HTML files to either text or RTF. You can also print your list of saved items, save it as an RTF file, and create categories of saved items. Unfortunately, PasteCopy.NET has an unfinished feel. For example, rather than automatically place the copied item into the receiving document when you press paste, PasteCopy.NET … Read more

Two free programs enhance Windows' clipboard

You would think a 20-year-old operating system would let you copy and paste more than one item at a time. While the clipboards in Office 2003 and 2007 can store up to 24 text snippets and graphics for later reuse, no such multisave option is built into Windows itself.

Thank goodness software developers have stepped into the breach by providing free programs that extend the Windows clipboard, allowing you to copy dozens of items and paste any of them with a single click or keyboard shortcut.

Maximize your clipboard options in Office 2003 and 2007 As soon as you copy … Read more

Ode to copy and paste

Copy-and-paste functionality is such a fixture in computing that few realized just how much we took it for granted until Apple left it out of the iPhone's initial release--causing uproar--and then offered it two years later, inspiring a standing ovation. Yet despite the elemental status of copy and paste, the feature has changed little over the years. For instance, why is it that the Windows operating system lets you copy and paste only one selection at a time? This week, we show you a clipboard workaround and spotlight M8 Free Clipboard and PasteCopy.NET, two free applications that give copy and paste a big boost. … Read more

Fast fixes for two common copy-and-paste failures

Like many people who work for a company that's located hundreds of miles from their home, I rely on remote-access programs, specifically the Remote Desktop Connection utility built into Windows. I recently encountered a relatively common bug in the program: in the midst of a remote session, I lost the ability to copy and paste.

Closing and restarting the remote connection fixed the problem temporarily. A more permanent solution is described by Pinal Dave on the SQL Authority blog. Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and click Start Task Manager. Choose the Processes tab, select rdpclip.exe, click End Process, and close Task … Read more

Living with Office 2010

With Windows 7 having been finalized, I realized that my main work set-up was utterly lacking in the unfinished software department.

Clearly, that couldn't stand. So, last week, I installed the technical preview of Office 2010 on the Windows 7 machine I have been using every day. For the foreseeable future, I'll be trying to see how the new applications stack up in handling my day-to-day work.

As for my early impression, I think my colleague Rafe Needleman said it best in a tweet he wrote earlier this week, while tying out the new Office.

"I wish … Read more

Microsoft aims for a stickier paste

It stands to reason that one of the most common tasks users do in Office is copy and paste something into a document. In fact, Microsoft says about 20 percent of Office command clicks are either copy or paste.

But, it also turns out that one of the most common things users do after pasting something is to hit the "undo" button after finding out that they didn't get what they were looking for.

"You shouldn't have to do that," said Microsoft group product manager Chris Bryant. "We should give you better tools.&… Read more